Eat my heart out
by Talulasaurus
Summary: AU. A zombie-apocalypse story that isn't quite an zombie-apocalypse story. Quinn is left questioning the fabric of her past and her very humanity. This story is on hiatus.
1. The facade

**A/N: (authors re-visit) **_Upon re-reading I have learnt two things about my story a) I am desperately in need of a spelling/grammar reevaluation due to a lack of a beta or ability to proof-read efficiently. b) I have improved vast amounts and am still doing so throughout this story, thus the beginning chapters are cringe inducing._

_For these I apologize profusely and hope that you can look over any earlier failings. I don't know how to ask you to stick it out for a few chapters to see if you'll get into it without begging so, pleaseee? Any reviews really do help me, I have been blessed with the devotion of several readers on this story and any/all other support that I have received.  
_

AU. I mean season one doesn't start in quite the same fashion, majortally due to a zombie apocalypse. Though I should probably tell you there is a substantial amount of other supernatural happenings and characters.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the charters or of course Glee itself, I'm no Ryan Murphy.

* * *

I let the music blast around me, vibrations reverting out of every crevice in my room. Returning to my ears with deafening velocity, my every nerve standing on edge, rippling with energy I set about getting ready, precisely the amount of energy that it takes to keep up my façade. If I had it my way I would be donning my favorite frayed shorts, not a skirt, never a skirt, I'd avoid them, skirts aren't practical. A skirt would leave me helpless in a full-scale alien attack. I wouldn't wear this cross either but I figure that if I were challenged by a vampire I'd be prepared. I pondered the possibilities for the day perhaps Colin McGrath who resembled something of a Clark Kent with his thick-rimmed glasses and slicked back hair albeit au naturel grease would stop a green-clothed fist beating its way out of an underground chamber across the canteen, it is Ohio after all. Yes today could be the day, today could be exciting, or of course today could be like any other day. Today could be shit.

I am Lucy Quinn Fabray; daydreamer, hard studying, comic book obsessing geek extraordinaire.

* * *

The day started off as they usually do, Santana greeting me at the school gates with Brittany in their minuscule uniforms of red branding them fellow cheerleaders. After an exchange of greetings the two girls continued as usual to flank me walking into the school buildings. Where also as usual every eye was on me, jealous, lusting or admiring, they all had a common aspect; they were all devoted. I split the crowd like God split the Red sea, if I so chose to flash a smile at one of the non-consequential sheep it would have made their day.

I am Quinn Fabray, golden limbed, blond-headed, all-eyes-on-me lead cheerleader.

What? Double identities are all the Rage just ask Parker.

One of the 'sheep' stumbled before me, Olivia Taylor, a tiny pretty girl who I shared the fifth period with. She opened her mouth forming a question or statement on her lips.

"Santana what's this one's name?" I asked in a stage whisper

"Olivia" She sneered eyeing the tiny girl, who suddenly seemed quite terrified,

"Not worth your time. There are too many people on this earth, we need a plague."

And so I would never know what Olivia wanted to say to me because with that we swooped past and continued down the hall. I knew all of their names, every single one. But I needed to seem superior, that's how it works. By the time we'd made it to my locker my heart was feeling thoroughly heavy, being a bitch isn't easy. With only a moment's warning a clambering mass filled my vision,

"Hey babe"

This is Finn, my charter back to-be-prom-king boyfriend. He wasn't all that bad, a bit of an oath but kind-hearted, as lost in this popularity game as I was. I'm not in love with him; he's just my security blanket, my big handsome security blanket who isn't half bad at kissing. Not that he gets to do any more than kissing; I'm head of the celibacy club so Finn only gets to a balloons distance.

"Morning baby"

And that's really how my day continued, as normal. Well within the school hours that is.

* * *

At 5 o'clock I was sat outside the school building, cross-legged with my back -and ear- against the outer wall of the choir room. Finn had left a note on my locker telling me that he couldn't walk me home, in plain sight may I add, the whole school body had seen evidence of the head cheerleader being stood up. I just wouldn't allow it, there's no room for cracks in my façade. So I bullied a few people –I'm not proud of it- into telling me his location, which was apparently in the choir room, after a while of spying I deduced that Finn had mysteriously joined the Glee club. _The Glee club! _A sure-fire way to fall into the depths of social poverty, worse though, my passion; comic books aside music is my life.

So that's how I ended up being at school when the shit hit the fan. Oh how very unchristian I am.

Sitting waiting to confront him Santana swagged up with her shadow Brittany and Pucks bobbing mohawked head.

"Well we're here"

Is it just me or does someone _always_ state the obvious? Puck was looking down at me his eyes flashing with desire. Puck wanted me, Puck wanted me bad.

"Where is he? Im'ma go all Lima heights on his arse."

"Santana that's not strictly the definition of 'intervention' is it?" I said in a clipped voice with a tight-lipped smile.

#Rule 34: intimidate before they work themselves up. Snip it at the bud.

"Don't hover."

They lowered themselves to the ground beside me, I was their queen, no one stood above me.

"Why do you think he's in Glee club?"

Puck looked as worried as I felt; he didn't _want_ to have to disown his best friend.

"Maybe he's becoming a merman; I considered it myself when I decided to become a mermaid because they always sing don't they?"

Brittany worries me sometimes.

"Well I for one…" but Santana was cut off.

An unearthly noise of whirring silenced our conversation; the school seemed to have become a heavy trafficked airway zone. Puck was the first to speak up,

"Guys those aren't normal helicopters."

"How on earth would _you_ know that?" Santana whipped back on the tail of Pucks last word.

"Because I play COD on a daily basis, okay?"

"You shouldn't play with your food Puck." Brittany retorted

Puck ignored her, "Those are military helicopters."

At that we all sat in silence, letting Pucks words hang in the silence.

That's when the shooting started. Echoing through the otherwise eerily silent town, all the helicopters seemed to be headed towards the town's centre, the hospital to be exact.

"Jesus what's going on down there" Santana's voice had lost its usual indifferent quality.

We sat watching while the helicopters landed disappearing behind the towns buildings, we could still hear a distant ringing of gunshot.

"For once in my life I want to be watching the news, couldn't have picked a better day Finn, really."

Puck said with an air of sarcasm.

We'd all but forgotten the strange aircrafts when a cheerleader came marching towards us, she'd dressed up as a zombie, a really cool one at that. Her blonde hair was hanging out of her pigtail, her face had the effect of having been slashed at, blood was streaming down one of her golden legs and god forbid it she'd ripped her beloved cheerio's uniform. I could just see Coaches disgusted face now, that made me feel slightly better but this cheerleader was making an obvious move to upstage me. What on earth was going through her mind? She must have known we'd rip her down and I'd have her at the bottom of the pyramid for the next year. A cheerio upstaging me? No. Santana must have thought the same thing because in the next moment she was on her feet,

"What exactly do you think you're doing? Save it for Halloween, but then again I doubt you'll get that far when coach sees the state of your uniform."

Apparently this infuriated the cheerio because upon hearing Santana's shout she began sprinting towards us,

"She's mental" Puck muttered

As she reached us she grabbed Santana by the arms and started gnashing her teeth in her face, only Santana's hand at her throat stopping her from _literally_ biting her, I leapt forward and grabbed the cheerio by her hair who turned to me knocking Santana to the ground where proceeded to Brittany grab hold of her. This cheerio was unreally strong, as though she was holding nothing back, no fear of her own safety, no awareness of protecting herself against my hits, it was as if she couldn't even feel them. Suddenly her leg got twisted with mine and we toppled to the ground, her still trying to bite me –dirty fighter or what?-. Suddenly Puck got hold of her by the shoulders and started throwing her from me; he pulled me into his arms momentarily, leaning over me protectively as we turned our attention back to the girl. But the Cheerio wasn't moving; her head had hit the corner of the brick wall and seemed to have somewhat caved in. Ice water seemed to trickle down my veins.

"Is she knocked out?"

"That looks more than knocked out"

I'd learnt first aid in my preparation for all things irrational so I got down and checked her pulse, her skin was unusually cold, even for a recently dead person, because she was; dead that is. I looked up and told the others,

"She's passed away"

"No! She can't be" Even Santana seemed shaken, and that's saying something.

"Shit, I just killed her, like she's really, really dead"

Getting up I watched Pucks panic set in, his eyes swimming with never seen tears.

We stood in a circle around the girls, no around Jessica Evans corpse. Pure terror written on each of our faces,

"No Puck, I think she really was a, well undead." Saying the words made it seem more real.

"Yeah, it'd be too much of a coincidence for the army to come charging into Lima shooting up the place and _this_ to be unconnected."

I watched as Santana spoke she linked hands with Brittany, her knuckles going white with the pressure of clenching her hand.

"A zombie apocalypse" Puck whispered

"Will there be school tomorrow?"

"I doubt that Brit."

* * *

Zombies. I was supposed to be happy right? I'd dreamt about this, wanted this.

Well I didn't feel happy.

I watched the panicked looks on my friend's faces through the unshed tears that made me feel like I was submerged under water, that the fact that my lungs were struggling catch desperate breathes and my mind clouded in a haze gave me the impression of drowning. They must be so scared; they had families, families they weren't with, families that could be zombies already. So did I, but it wasn't the same, not really. My mother probably wouldn't even spare me a thought and my farther would probably just be angry that I hadn't been clever enough to know that a zombie apocalypse was coming and that I should be at home, as if anyone could know that. I looked down at Jessica's corpse, her limbs so pale and her eyes so glassy. She'd had a family too. She wasn't a monster, she was just- just ill; she'd fallen to an illness. I bent back down beside her and gently shut her eye lids with the tips of my pinkie fingers, these people could be like her, like Jessica. I felt a panic fill me like a balloon expanding in my chest, I started to choke on air, panicking, I couldn't gulp it down, trying desperately to slow my breathing, to calm my sobs until eventually I could breathe again. I looked up at Puck, Santana and Brittany I wouldn't let these people fall like Jessica. That's when I made my vow, to protect them, with my life. A small voice in the back of my head whispered '_like a super hero'_.

I shut off my emotions; there was no time for them. I had people's lives to protect.

Getting to my feet I wiped my eyes with my wrist and exhaled heavily.

"We're too exposed there."

My voice didn't sound like my own, it sounded strong.

"We need to get inside the school building, we need to be quiet and we need to be vigilant. Puck stay behind us and watch our backs, Brittany you stay in the middle okay? "

"Okay, but what do we do when we get inside?"

"We find the Glee club."

After making our way around the building to the entrance and inside, our footsteps echoing making me cringe internally with every step.

"Do you think there are zombies in here?" Santana whispered from behind me as we approached the choir room corridor,

"Yes. Of that I'm sure."

We all scanned the hallways as we came to the T junction; we all tried our best to ignore the blood stains in the English corridor. We failed. I heard Brittany's stifled sob from behind me, all of my nerves on edge like electricity was shooting up my limbs.

Once we made it to the choir room door I let the fear that I had been trying to supress well up inside me, the door was locked. No, not locked, as I pushed the door I felt resistance but not the complete block that a lock would provide. They had barricaded themselves in, so this meant they'd been attacked, seen the fallen. Had anyone died? Been injured, it was more than likely.

"Hello?" I whispered through the keyhole, panic clear in my uneven voice; so much for my whole 'wiping my emotions clear'.

"People!" A muffled voice came from inside.

"Shut up Finn, we don't know who it is" Mercedes voice was rigid with fear.

"It's Quinn … San, Britt and Puck too. Please let us in?"

After a moment -in which loud scraping noises sounded from behind the door causing me to look around in panic that we'd be heard- the door flew open.

"QUINN!" Finn launched himself on to me

"Finn keep your voice down, we need to get inside right now" My voice was so tense that he complied almost immediately.

Once we were all safely barricaded inside we sat down, we breathed, even if the air was thick with emotions; with fright, with sadness and with an overwhelming sense of awkwardness.

I looked at the tormented faces around me:

Santana holding Brittany and whispering into her ear.

Puck watching me from across the room, I spared him a small comforting smile.

Mr Schuester sitting rocking slightly, a look of fright etched into his face. Mr Schu had a wife to worry about.

Kurt and Mercedes holding each other's hands tightly with Artie watching the doors nervously and Tina crying beside them.

And then my eyes lingered on Rachel Berry who was sitting in the corner being uncharacteristically quiet, she was wearing knee high socks with braided hair, she'd look good in a Lara Croft outfit. I shook my head quickly hoping to shake out that disturbing thought with it.

I let Finn pull me onto his knee where I curled up and lay my head against his chest, I felt his lips pressing onto the top of my head. I let him comfort me, people don't usually comfort me. In fact no one ever has, I let the feeling of him holding me, wanting my safety wash over me. My mom had never cuddled me; she lived in fear, a fear that I never let myself feel. She was scared of my farther, who would give me about as much comfort as a cheese grater. That's why I'm the way I am you see. I was always the weird kid; the kid obsessed with superheroes and who let the walls of fiction and reality blur, the kid who was laughed at, who was tormented and hurt. The kid who lived in her daydreams because they were easier than hearing her parent's arguments, easier than hearing her father's fist.

The second I knew how to contain myself, I did. I stopped letting the world see me, I built walls around my heart. I moved schools, and made a beautiful character for myself to step into.

Quinn Fabray fierce, adored, stunning Quinn.

And of course at school I was badass Fabray who needed no one, who never showed fear or weakness. So I let my walls fall down, if only for a moment I needed to be held, to be looked after. It felt good.

After what felt like an eternity we heard a distant scream, we sat and listened tears falling down the tracks that hadn't had time to dry on my cheeks. The scream didn't last long but it lingered.

Suddenly Rachel broke the silence,

"That isn't the first one, I don't know if you heard it last time?"

I sat up straighter on Finns lap and spoke up,

"We were outside; we don't know what's happened in here…"

"Well we heard this blood curdling scream, it stopped us in our tracks. We were in the middle of rehearsing 'don't stop believing' and at first I thought one of them was severely out of tune, but it just kept going and going."

Mercedes had taken on a disbelieving stance,

"You thought it w- I can't even believe you sometimes."

I felt a smile creep onto my lips in spite of myself, oh Rachel.

_Phoebe Cole's piercing scream echoed around the school, it bounced off of the corridor walls until every living and non-living person in the building could hear her. Her eyes were wide like a doe and the undead was her stalking Cougar. She couldn't help the screams bursting ferociously out of her throat, she couldn't help the tears streaming down her face and she couldn't help her lack of forethought. Her screams were drawing the schools population like a siren; she might have survived if she had supressed her screaming. But the undead weren't the only ones drawn by her verbalised pain,_

"_Don't worry, we're coming!" Artie's shouts hit her like a brick wall._

_It occurred to her even as the zombie latched onto her leg sending a searing pain through her body that if this person did try to save her then he would effectively die too._

"_NO!"_

_This word held even more pain and emotion than her terrified screams; this word would hang in the hearts of the five glee members and their mentor who heard it._

"_HIDE, HIDE, PLEASE HIDE"_

_She screamed the word 'hide' again and again as she watched the undead walking, sprinting and dragging themselves towards her. As she watched the hoard approach she thought about how she had wasted her life, studying for a life she would never get to, wasting her short life on earth in science books. If she couldn't live, she would sure as heck save someone else's life in the process._

_The Glee members barricaded the choir room doors and sat, sat feeling like cowards listening to her cries as they got softer and softer, until they stopped all together._

"You don't know what's happening." Santana's voice burst out sharply into the silence following Rachel's explanation. Artie wheeled forward,

"Well it's not hard to work out is it? There's a murderer in the school, we've tried ringing the police but no one picked up and then our line went dead."

"No. It's not that good."

"'that good'?"

And so we told them our story, we told them about the girl and the helicopters and the blood stains. We told them about the undead.

"This isn't Sunnydale, stuff like this isn't meant to happen." A Buffy reference, give me a hug girl.

"So this is the apocalypse right? No one survives apocalypses and if they do they're not a group of geeky teens are they?"

At that Santana scoffed

"Speak for yourself Stubbles McCripple Pants"

I sat watching Finn, his eyebrows were knitted and he was pouting; either he was severely constipated or thinking hard.

"I say we need a game plan, an advantage."

To that none of them argued.

"We need to secure our position. If we split up we could barricade all the entrances and windows before night fall."

Finn seemed to want to express his masculinity; it was like watching a puppy asking to be the alpha.

"Well people in horror movies always split up, and then they die."

This was getting us nowhere if not to a slow painful death so I decided to step in, the room had turned into a babbling mess of opinions and making that much noise was a sure-fire way to get us all killed. I jumped up off of Finns lap and onto the grand piano,

"Okay, this is how I see it."

The room silenced, even in an apocalypse apparently the social food chain still stood.

"Us making this much unnecessary noise will end in our corpses, as will us splitting up or us staying in the school. Think about it, we've already seen one cheerleader, cheerleaders don't just wander around alone, they're pack animals. You really think no one had detention tonight? That no geeks are loitering around the library?"

I paused for what would look like dramatic effect but really I was just working myself up to actually say my next statement.

"_You think our families are safe_?"

I looked around at everyone, watching it slowly dawn on them. Not everyone they loved could still be alive. So who was gone? Who had fallen?

A thought struck me, maybe my mother and farther had fallen. It didn't hurt as much as it should have, my eyes pricked of course but I'd never really had them. It was their fault, they had made me this way. I let my mind briefly wander to the prospect of a zombie rampaging my room and ruining all my priceless comics, I had to suppress a shudder.

"What we need to do is to collect supplies, if we actually want to stay alive that is."

After that we worked out a game plan on the choir room's whiteboard:

Step one. Gather potential weapons.

Step two. Collect food from the canteen.

Step three. Stay alive.


	2. A fighting chance

**A/N:** I've merged the first two chapters together so this would have been chapter three. Sorry for taking so long to upload, this chapter was a challenge to compile for no apparent reason. I now have this story completely mapped out so it should be concise. For those wondering about the expected length, yes it's going to be a long multi-chapter; I already have a sequel in mind! Oh and don't fret Chloë this chapter doesn't have any real other supernatural events but the next chapter should be the start of that story arc. **I'll put a few warnings in place as of now: there will be character death, continued violence as well as distressing subject matters that may not be appropriate for some readers; so if you're in a fragile state of mind I don't recommend you continuing.** Also thank you to the guest who corrected me over my failed spelling of Brittany which I've now changed! Now, _onwards with the story…_

* * *

Finding weapons in a choir room wasn't the easiest job in the world, I mean hey we could have thrown chairs at the zombies or wow I'm sure a grand piano would have come in handy. Finn had armed himself with a floor lamp and that was about as good as we were getting.

"If the glee club actually won awards we'd be in a much better position right now." Santana scowled at the group before her. This went largely ignored.

I could see by the eyes Kurt was giving Finn that he had designs for him; which suited me perfectly fine. I had always known of Kurt's sexuality. It was obvious and endearing, he deserved to be happy, and he was a good person. He deserved to live. Kurt is the kind of person that I'd lay down my life for.

"Well there's no time like the present, just be quiet and stick together, right?" As Finn spoke he wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me towards him.

I looked up embarrassed by this vulgar public display of affection when everything else around me was getting so _real_ it felt wrong, I doubt I would have resented it so much if it were mutual; blushing profusely and looking around I caught Rachel's eye. Who am I fooling? I wasn't looking around, I was looking for her. It was one of those unexplainable moments of eye contact that is immediately overanalysed and inevitably misread. Rachel would never see me in that way, so I could not let myself become vulnerable to such fancies. Even so Finns arm around me felt like a weight.

"I'm kind of getting cold feet." Artie announced as Finn and Puck began to dismantle the barricades.

"Can you even feel your feet?" Brittany asked him in all seriousness but got only a cold look in response.

"I think we should look for survivors first" Mr Schuester spoke up for the first time, his voice lacking its characteristic confidence.

"What and make ourselves vulnerable?"

"As heartless as that was Puck, I agree; we need to get food and leave, there's no time to be a hero."

"Emma Pillsbury"

Those two simple words changed everyone's minds, not because any of us knew the guidance counsellor particularly well but because his voice was so heavy with sadness, laced with such desperation.

And so we set off down the abandoned corridors of William McKinley High School, we ignored the blood stains and the over turned tables, even worse we ignored the corpses that lay scattered through the school, lifeless, apparently too ravaged to turn. At least that's what I knew from the movies.

Upon arriving at the guidance counselling office the already sorrow filled air grew dense making it hard to breathe, the glass panes working as the frontal wall of the office were largely sprinkled with blood, the blood being on the inner-side of the glass. Inside a corpse lay lifeless, her innards having been relocated around the room. But she wasn't ginger which made the situation the slightest bit better.

"Maybe, maybe this is just… She's not here! Yes she has to be, must be alive still."

Schuster's voice sounded so determined, I looked at him in pity.

We stood in the wrecked office, it felt too hard to leave; our sense of purpose lost. Just as I was about to tell everyone that we needed to move on we heard a whimper. The noise felt like hope blossoming in my heart, following the sound to a cupboard I wrenched it open. There was Emma Pillsbury; dishevelled, covered in blood and scrubbing the same clean spot on her arm raw.

"Oh, she's the one they made me talk to when they found out I was keeping that bird in my locker." Brittany whispered to us calmly.

Schu promptly grabbed the small whimpering mess that was Miss Pillsbury into his arms and kissed the top of her head with joy written plainly across his features, he even went as far as to spin in a circle with her in his arms whispering frantically "I thought you were dead, I thought you were dead!"

I decided to let him have his brief moment of joy that I was sure we wouldn't be seeing an awful lot of in this day and age. But really Miss Pillsbury wasn't alright; she was obviously ill, mentally scared and who knew if she was injured. Miss Pillsbury had OCD, everyone knew that, how was she supposed to survive in a world like this?

We eventually made it to the school kitchen despite a large amount of false alarms and one close shave with a wandering fallen.

The kitchen was seemingly untouched so we barricaded the entrances and secured the hatch that we realised could be used as an emergency escape route. We were safe (zombie-apocalypse definition of safe), we had access to food, water and a small staff toilet. And so we began collecting as much food and bottled water as we could physically carry in our backpacks.

"Is t-t-tinned food suitable to t-take?" Tina asked the room her stutter evident as it always was,

"As long as you take a tin opener too"

"Well actually, tinned food will be preserved for longer"

"And heavier" Came Pucks disgruntled contribution to the conversation.

I listened in silence as the group talked, sitting in the larder working my way through the bottom shelf.

"Hi" A gentle voice came from beside me,

Looking towards the source I watched Kurt shuffle in and sit beside me in the small space,

"Hi Kurt" I said with a small smile,

"If I may?" he asked gesturing his arm towards the shelf.

"Why not? Thanks."

We sat in companionable silence for a couple of minutes filling our bags,

"Ooh powdered milk; at least I can still have my bedtime drink"

"Oh yes, what would the world be without a bedtime drink?"

"Just a boring old zombie-apocalypse" I could hear a smile in his voice; I couldn't help but smile along.

"It's also a good job I keep my moisturizer on me, or else my nightly moisturizing routine would have been screwed up too."

"Wow, you really do have all the luck!"

"Oh no I really don't; I'll never be able to have relations on a dewy meadow of lilac with Taylor Lautner before I get fat now" I looked over at his solemn face and burst into laughter, he promptly put a hand over my mouth.

"A boy can dream right?" but soon he had his face against my shoulder trying to contain his own laughter.

Just then Finn broke our happy little bubble

"Hey guys, we've decided to stay here for the night, it's getting late and we don't want to travel through the night."

"In fact, we're considering staying here full stop. We've got brilliant supplies and we know this place." Mercedes said jumping in.

I watched Kurt's face grow increasingly alarmed.

"No, we need to keep moving, this-"

"Look, Miss Pillsbury really isn't in a state to be moved and we can use this as a base to contact our families." Noticing that our faces weren't growing any more convinced she charged on with her rant,

"Here we can gradually barricade parts of the school up and we feel _safe, _we've seen barely any zombies, at least we know our situation here. We can just sit it out and wait to be rescued."

Realising Mercedes was deluded I let it go, at least for the night.

"Alright, alright, I don't need you in my face. Go 'enlighten' someone else with your _obvious _wisdom." I said putting on my best snotty voice.

At that she strutted off looking obviously irritated. Finn leant over us and kissed my forehead (making me stiffen against Kurt) before scampering off lacking a certain amount of grace.

"Why do you do that Q, why're you so mean to people?"

I don't know why this hit me so hard, perhaps it's because I _wanted_ Kurt to like me, wanted him to know Lucy like I didn't want anyone else to or perhaps it was simply because no one had ever asked me so straight on, looking me square in the face. I looked down at our touching knees, letting my high pony fall covering his view of my eyes. I couldn't think of a response so I just sat fighting the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Don't worry, I _know_ that it's not really you Quinn, it's not as if I'm the nicest person to everyone is it?"

"Don't ever say that Kurt, you're perfect." I mumbled still not looking up.

From then on we sat in silence again, collecting and sifting through the pantry shelves. As I noticed people start preparing for bed I got up and found myself the biggest knife I could, I wrapped it in a dish cloth and put it in the outer pocket of my rucksack.

"Okay guys, I'm taking first watch with Mr Schu" Puck spoke to the room as loudly as he dared. I looked over, they'd positioned themselves at the door, knife's and pot lids scattered around them. Miss Pillsbury was already lying against Mr Schu sleeping. Finn approached me again.

"Hey Quinn, I found some coats in the lost and found box that have made a nice bed over there" Pointing to the far corner of the room that was out of the main groups view, I felt suddenly uncomfortable. After years of ground work, flirting and keeping Finn at just the right distance to look publically smitten but personally distant I could see it all crumbling. For God's sake I didn't even need my façade anymore, not really, not in this world. Luckily Kurt spoke up,

"Oh we'd already got a good spot, myself and Quinn were just saying how we wouldn't feel safe if we weren't in the larder, it just feels like more of a defence with all the walls around us."

"Yeah, I really wouldn't feel safe over there" I shot him my best sympathetic look,

"But I'll protect you" Finn said faltering slightly.

"Sorry baby" I then stood up onto my toes and gave him a peck on the lips, I knew defeat when I saw it and quickly took my bag back over to the larder with Kurt. Catching a glimpse of Rachel curling up against Puck as I went, at least Puck had the weapons, she was safe enough.

With Kurt holding me I managed to get a few hours of much needed and unexpected sleep. Unfortunately we were woken rather abruptly…

A shrill scream pierced through my dreamless sleep, the type of scream one only hears in a horror movie. Sitting bolt upright I grabbed my knife out of my pocket and looked straight to Rachel, she was okay. I let myself have a brief second of relief and then continued frantically looking around for the source of the noise that was turning my stomach: Brittany. Brittany was sitting looking absolutely terrified, in the next second Santana had launched herself on top of the hysterical girl.

"Britt! Britt! It was a dream honey! Shhh shush, it's okay, you're okay." Within minutes Brittany had regained some sense of normalcy.

"Comforting as that is stick figure but we are most definitely _not_ okay!" Mercedes harsh voice sliced through the room.

"There was no need for that"

"_Excuse_ me!"

Within seconds the room was a babbling mess, I looked over desperately at Kurt whose expression must have been identical to mine.

Standing up I raised my voice above the chaos "Am I the only one who thinks every fallen in the proximity heard the scream and that your babbling is helping them home in nicely?"

"_Shit_"

"What should we do?"

For Christ's sake I'm head cheerleader not an army cornel.

"We gather weapons and _move_" Kurt's voice barked out coming up to stand beside me.

For the next couple of minutes the room was reduced to bedlam again, people weaving between each other in a frantic rush to arm themselves.

"Kurt, don't you need to get something?" I asked as I noticed him standing watching over the chaos.

"Don't you worry about me Q, just get armed" I didn't question him; instead I picked up a second large knife.

We moved out and through the corridors swiftly and quietly, the zombies obviously weren't very fast because none had turned up yet.

"Don't you think it's weird that we haven't come across a single zombie?" for that Finn received multiple cold stares.

A fresh scream filled the silence; it sounded like it was coming from the adjacent corridor.

"We're _right_ here, we _have_ to help them" Rachel's whisper was quiet and tense.

"We are _not_ heroes."

At that moment I turned around at the squeak of shoe on lino to see a horde of the undead approaching us from behind.

"We don't have to be heroes."

Everyone followed my gaze turning around. That's when the real screaming started.

And so we faced them like a utensil equipped -if a somewhat outnumbered army.

The corridor was swarmed with the undead. It felt like a grotesque echo of that very morning, each face giving me all their attention but instead of thoughts of jealousy or desire they had thoughts of hunger and my death, if they even had thoughts at all.

Mercedes was the first to be attacked but Kurt thrust himself between her and the in-flight zombie slashing it down skilfully –including a couple of from what I can tell unnecessary twists and swirls- with sai swords. Yelling out "I knew I'd get to use these babies" with a look of what can only be described as excitement.

I couldn't let my bewilderment distract me for long though because within the next few moments the mass of fallen were upon us; clawing and climbing over each other to get to us. Shoving my knife into the closest fallen's temple I didn't let myself concentrate on the tingle of guilt, instead I glanced around quickly to find Rachel, I needed to get to her; I needed to protect my tiny Jew. I didn't expect to see a pile of the fallen in front of her, still very much 'alive' but withering for some unknown reason. As I slashed my way towards her I realised she was spraying the fallen in their eyes with bleach and had made the floor slick with fluid, however I didn't have a chance to marvel in her brilliance because a cry like no other I had ever heard was filling the corridor.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Mr Schu's scream sounded so raw that I found myself nauseated with fear, like a demon was clawing through my stomach.

Not able to take a moment out to understand this scream I charged at the fallen in front of me more viciously than I had ever done anything. Hatred pulsing through my veins like pure acid I slashed their eyes and then pierced their skulls, forcing myself forward into them with my knives and my hatred I gathered all of their attention; soon every one of the undead wanted me. Kurt was beside me in a second and everyone else seemed to be backing us or pouncing on the strays. As hard as we pushed, as much hatred as we exuded, as many as we killed the crowd was still growing instead of decreasing. We were going to die, of that I was sure. But we were going to die _fighting._

Just as our strength was dwindling, just as we were being pushed back as the stories always go, our hero arrived.

Sue Sylvester.

And boy did she know how to make an entrance; we heard her yodeling but a moment before she jumped into the din, two fire extinguishers at the ready. Screaming "DUCK" which we all complied with immediately, she proceeded to 'extinguish' so to speak the fallen, coating them all in the thick white substance.

"NOW RUN"

And we did, oh how we did. However after a few moments we realised Mr Schu and Miss Pillsbury weren't with us. Turning back we saw Mr Schu leaning over Miss Pillsbury's limp body, hearing our shouts at him he looked up with glazed eyes.

"She's dead." His voice was completely void of emotion.

"It's confused their senses temporarily but we need to _go_" Coach called out urgently.

Puck and Finn had to drag Mr Schuster away, there wasn't time to mourn and there weren't the facilities to take her body. We needed to leave.

Somehow the school corridors had taken on the effect of a labyrinth. We moved agonizingly slowly and it was seemingly hours until we burst out of the fire escape which effectively set off the fire alarms; great now the school was a great big target and we were in between the fallen and it.

Hurriedly we found a nearby abandoned house to take cover in, it was temporary, very temporary but we needed to fix our wounds and sort our loses. We barricaded ourselves into the kitchen, living room and adjacent bathroom. Will settled into a corner of the living room sobbing gently, Tina and Mercedes set up in the kitchen with a first aid box they'd found and a supply of water, going over everyone's injury's –Puck had suffered a large cut to his forearm but everyone had gotten off pretty lightly all things considered. No one was bitten, thank God. Not that we even knew if that was how it spread, it could be the air for all we knew- and I hovered, looking around at my friends but not really seeing.

"Q" Coaches voice didn't have its usual air of confidence

"Yes coach?"

"I'm leaving, I need to go, my sister… Well what I wanted to know was if you wanted to come. We'd make it. This lot" she waved a hand towards the rest of our group "don't really stand a chance, but we could make it Q."

I was touched, I had never felt so touched in all my life.

"I- coach I can't, I can't just leave them. They need me; I need to protect them with everything I have."

Coach gave me a look that I'd never before seen on her features; it resembled a mixture of love, pride and respect.

"You're nothing like me. You're better. Sure I'm as smart as you are and every bit as pretty, but somehow you're slightly less evil, and I admire that. I admire you Quinn Fabray."

I couldn't respond, I wanted to say 'thank you, you mean a lot to me' but the words swelled up in my throat and I couldn't seem to get them out.

"I really need to get to my Jeanie. Just- stay alive Q"

With that her emotions closed off and she faced the room with a very Sue-like smirk.

"I'm going now that I'm done saving your arses. I've got a condo in Boca waiting for me and my sister."

"Wait- I was wondering how did you- where were you before you got to us?"

Sue gave Rachel a meaningful look,

"My mastery of camouflage is the only thing that kept me from being court-marshalled after that My Lai misunderstanding"

"Well, thank you."

"That's alright Jew but don't expect it again."

She turned walking towards the exit,

"Oh and I would say your hair looks like a brier patch. I keep expecting racist, animated Disney characters to pop up and start singing about living on the bayou, but I don't think William's in quite the state to appreciate it."

Sue looked over at Mr Schuster's curled up form sympathetically.

And then she was gone. Gone to find her heart.

And everyone continued their tasks.

And the air seemed to completely leave the room.

I made it to the toilet before the tears started to fall, sitting on the toilet-lid I let my backpack fall to the floor. I couldn't create any coherent thoughts about my distress or anything for that matter.

For the hundredth time this week I let myself think about it, I opened my backpack and unzipped the inner pocket taking the small white stick out. The small white stick that was my undoing, that sealed my fate. The small white stick with its two little lines that told me there was a little person growing in my belly.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm not very happy with this chapter, things just didn't want to assemble like I would have ultimately desired. But this was a beast of a chapter so I hope the length somewhat makes up for the quality? As if that makes sense. Just so you know this fic is my absolute _baby_. Also I'm just going to put it out there that I really appreciate every review so thank you to those of you who have. Oh and ShadowCub what would be the fun in them playing it safe? But spoiler alert they are leaving the school proximity. Lastly I think everyone should check out Mandithegleek, she's amazing.

What are your opinions: on the pregnancy, plot guesses and expectations?

I absolutely _bet_ no one can guess the _whole_ plot.


	3. The fae

**A/N** _Sorry this chapter took so long to upload; I've just started college and had the plague, by plague I mean stomach bug. But enough with the excuses, on with the show!_

_All disclaimers still apply._

We didn't stay long in that house and for that I am eternally grateful. The faces coating the walls haunted me, the smiling faces of a family; I don't know what happened to them but I was certain that those smiling faces in the photos that seemed to be everywhere I looked were no longer smiling. They were probably dead. We camped out in the dead family's house for only one night, leaving promptly the next morning. One good thing did come of the house though; they had a caravan, a caravan stocked with essentials and tents. And so we knew our next step: Leave the town. After scoring the houses in a close proximity to caravan-dead-family-house we come up with enough supplies to keep us afloat, for a while at least. We sped through the deserted roads leaving the fallen in our path dazed by our fleeting presence, by nightfall we were in neighbouring fields where we set up camp. We had decided that for now at least we should stay in the town's proximity, I wasn't happy with this decision and Kurt seemed to feel likewise but if we had marched on away the rest would have stayed; they wanted to find their families, to at least get possessions, photos of their loved ones.

As everyone sat around the campfire discussing strategies of how to locate loved ones I quietly slipped away, not wanting to hear it, not wanting to think about my own mother and father of whom I wasn't willing to risk my own life to find. Sitting behind the tents cross-legged I rested my hand on my faintly protruding stomach; I didn't want to bring a baby into this world, a world where death and destruction sought out all happiness, a world with no hope. Though maybe, just maybe this baby was the only hope we had, something that we desperately needed these days, though hardly ever feel.

As the sky grew dark the encroaching shadows drew me back to the make-shift safety of the main group, I could see Mercedes cooking through the caravan window but everyone else was sitting around the fire, hot chocolates and blankets already dished out. I sat myself on the edge of one of the logs we'd brought over as a seating arrangement, farthest away from any of the others; staring glassy-eyed at the dancing fire letting their conversation seep through my consciousness.

"I didn't see a single living person on the way here, how likely is it that anyone's alive?" Pucks voice was hard but I could feel the tangible cracks in it.

"We _have_ to see, I thought we'd agreed on this?" Artie was a leader, a director I'd figured that much out by now.

"We have! We have, I'm just, well I'm a little anxious…"

"If no one else has survived how will we? I think we should let go and just leave." I was right, Kurt did agree with me.

I let my eyes break away from the fires snare and studied Kurt's gentle features, his skin glowed golden against the fires heat, his hair carefully coiffed, his beautiful features portrayed determination and superiority. But his eyes held a secret, I don't know how I knew but I did, that sounds poncy but it was true. He looked as though he had a secret he desperately wanted to tell but couldn't.

"For the one hundredth time I-am-not-leaving-my-abuela" Santana spoke through gritted teeth.

"Go ahead and lose your life in vain then." Kurt's words were quiet but it was obvious that Santana had heard them because in the next second she was shouting.

"No voy a dejar a mi abuela para no puta, no tienen voz en este Smurf Prancy así que cierra sus labios señora!"

It took both Puck and Finn to with-strain the Latino and Brittany to calm her down. I was watching the fire fade from Santana's eyes when it hit me; the undead can't walk around for ever.

"Guys!"

Everyone's eyes were on me as I shot out of my seat; I expect they thought I'd seen a zombie or something equally as life threatening judging by their expressions.

"I just realised something, the zombies, well they're corpses right?"

I hope so.

"Well corpses decay"

"So we just have to outlast them!" Rachel pipped up catching on

And there was that little devil called hope again.

I'm not sure whether it held as much comfort for anyone else as it did for me but I went to bed feeling a little lighter. However I couldn't seem to fall asleep, my mind just kept whirring, all thoughts on my stomach. This was the time of night I'd generally be lolling myself to sleep reading a comic; the little things were putting me off-balance. Rolling to my side in the tartan sleeping bag that was ever so slightly itchy –I didn't even know tartan sleeping bags existed, maybe the family were Scottish, I shuddered and pushed all thoughts of the haunting family away- I watched Kurt's chest rise and fall gently, letting his deep breathing relax me. His silhouette lay dark against the orange luminosity of the tent, shuffling over in a very worm like manner I snuggled myself against his sleeping form momentarily feeling his comforting warmth before slipping out of my sleeping bag and slinking out of the tent. Rachel was on watch for the next hour, I could see her tiny form cuddled up on one of the fire-side logs. Feeling my own thirst I poured two plastic cups of water from a flask that happened to be by my tent. As I drew closer I couldn't help but feel like something more than a casual companionship was drawing me towards her, something strong. Her sweet face was sombre and her long black hair was no-longer sleek but tousled, I liked it.

"I come bearing gifts my lady"

As I perched next to her on the log I watched her turn towards me with a gentle smile on her lips and I couldn't help but thinking that her eyes lit up as she looked at me. I definitely needed to stop my daydreams from interfering with my perspective of reality.

"Water" I said gesturing towards the cups and then handing her one.

"When I was little and I was sad, my dad's would bring me a glass of water. It got to a point where I didn't know if I was sad or thirsty."

"Are you sad?"

"No, my dads are on holiday in Egypt, maybe over there it's safer?" Her face looked hopeful, but not the genuine kind, more as though she was trying to convince herself that she was hopeful.

"I'm sure it is, it has to be"

"They're in a rural villa anyway so I have to believe they're okay."

After a moment of ever so slightly awkward silence Rachel continued

"Quinn?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you sad?"

I pondered that for a moment and genuinely couldn't find an answer.

"My parents didn't love me so they don't deserve my emotions." I hoped saying it out loud would make it true, but in all honesty emotions come whether or not they've been deserved.

She stayed silent, I could practically feel the sympathy radiating from her and out of habit I almost shot her down, but this wasn't the hard Quinn Fabray, weakness_ isn't_ a sin. Just to break the silence I continued

"Truly I have more important things to worry about."

"Like what?" Her curiosity made her look like a small child, I just wanted to eat her all up.

"Well you" quickly tagged on by "And the rest of them"

I let my hand subconsciously rest on my hardly-there bump and noticed my mistake instantly as I watched Rachel's eyes follow the movement and grow wide at the gesture. She didn't know, not really, I could have shrugged it off and she would have believed me but I couldn't, in that moment it felt physically impossible to lie to her, to not tell her.

"Are you?" Her voice had scarcely any volume but it felt like a shout.

"Pregnant?" I started nodding, biting my bottom lip as the tears made their appearance.

"Oh Quinn!"

And then she embraced me, holding me so close to her own body. I let my mind commit each level of the sensation to memory.

"Are you okay? How long have you known? Do you need anything? Who's the dad?" Her questions chased each other out of her mouth and as the last one tumbled out her had smothered her lips and she was quite clearly embarrassed by her outburst. But if I wanted to tell anyone then I wanted to tell her.

"Yes. A while. A friend. Puck."

"Will I do, as a friend I mean? I know you're _Quinn Fabray_ but my shoulders here." I could see more questions in her eyes but we both thought them better left unasked.

"Your shoulders the only one I want right now."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I want you to distract me."

After a moment she complied.

"I have 38 pairs of knee-high socks."

"Wow"

"Yes, I'm quite proud, but the aims 100 before I'm 20"

"May I ask why?"

"What would life be without goals?"

"This."

I watched the smile slide off of her face and immediately felt sorry for bringing up our situation.

"I'm sorry"

"Sorry?" Shock was clear in her voice

"Yes."

"Quinn Fabray just _apologized _to _me!" _ She spoke so quietly that I wondered whether that was meant to reach my ears.

She spoke louder this time,

"Aren't you supposed to be glaring at me and calling me 'big nose' or something equally as offensive?"

"Oh no." I let seriousness colour my tone.

"Much more offensive."

I could tell she could see the smile in my eyes because her face lit up 1000 watts and her contagious laughter filled the night's air.

I don't know how but I'd never seen Rachel smile, at least I'd never paid attention when all was normal, when her smile wasn't rare. I would have remembered it if I had. It would have engrained itself into my memory as it had now, her face a moment ago so serene burst into joy, a joy so vivid that it lit up her whole face, her mahogany eyes intensifying, deepening. Showing the joy in her very soul, her every thought, passion, emotion lay in her eyes in that moment. Her whole universe. Her perfect teeth on display; imagine an angel's smile: that was Rachel's smile, perfection. But what caught me, made my stomach tighten was her dimple; her smile had revealed a dimple sitting on the right side of her face that gave her a cheeky impression.

It was a smile I couldn't help but join in on.

Her smile was everything, as it slipped from her face and her eyes lost their wild heat, looking like gentle warmth once more I knew I'd never see her face the same way again. Her smile would forever be in my heart.

I suspect that was the moment I realized that I was unconditionally in love with Rachel Berry.

I grew suddenly uncomfortable, largely by the intense need to lean forward and kiss her lips that she was biting into.

"Well it's late and I need to catch _some_ sleep…"

"Good night Quinn."

"Sweet dreams Rach, I'll see you in the morning."

With that I scurried back to my tent and snuggled up against Kurt.

I woke with a gentle breeze washing over my body; Kurt's sleeping form still against me. The breeze was softly fluttering the tent flaps that I was sure had I secured the night before as I snuck in. Sitting up slowly I watched Kurt stir slightly at the movement and waited for his features to relax once more before slipping out of my sleeping bag again. The sky outside was still slightly dark, it must have been sunrise; everyone else was still sleeping that was for sure. Looking around I felt completely awake which wasn't exactly normal for me, I was rarely anything less than groggy when I awoke.

A whispering made my head snap up, the voice sounded like a quiet tinkle of bells.

"Violet Ida' Tryamon"

"Who's there?" My voice was scarcely audible.

Laughter so sweet that it seemed childlike rang through the air presumably in response to my words.

I found myself moving towards the exquisite noise, it took me out of the campground and to a magnificent forest that I had somehow never noticed before. The forest was tremendously inviting, a warm golden glow filtered through the trees with their intensely emerald-green leaves, mushrooms of every size and colour sprouted through the dewy grass at the trees bases. Though most strikingly the forest was entwined with the most elaborate floral display, stood on the edge of the tree-line I looked around in awe, my mouth parted and my eyes wide.

The laughter broke through my consciousness once more and I primed myself to find the source which turned out to be immediately in front of me. I would have assumed that he were in camouflage but something told me that he were more part of the forest than trying to look like the forest. White flowers blossomed from his long golden hair and he was clad in what I could only assume was raw white silk; his limbs matched the colouring of his outfit glowing white themselves. He could have been human, but he was not, his ears told me that much; they stood pointed out of his hair like an elves ears. He had an ethereal beauty like none I had ever seen; his handsome features far surpassed that of Finns or Pucks, more beautiful than even Rachel (on the outside that is, of course by this point I was certain no one could match Rachel Berry as an entire being).

The creäture had a vast smile dominating his face and was staring directly at me.

"Violet" His voice was soft and if I wasn't mistaken he sounded almost in awe himself.

"Violet?" Again I couldn't summon my voice to project much more than a whisper.

"Or Quinn, hello Quinn." As he spoke he stepped forward, out of the undergrowth towards me with his smile still in place.

"H-hello"

Reaching forwards with both of his long pale hands he picked up my limp hand and placed his lips upon it. His lips felt like every pleasant experience I had ever felt, soft like a plum, red and swollen as though bee stung. They looked as though if I bit into them delicious fruity fluid would seep out, not that I wanted to kiss this otherworldly stranger I chastised myself.

I wanted to ask so many questions but they built up in my throat forming a lump that made it hard to breathe correctly.

The stranger began to circle me, taking in every inch of me in with his eyes; it made me feel very vulnerable. His fingers entwined themselves into my own golden hair that tumbled loose down my back. Once he was facing me once more he spoke again, his eyes holding mine in a trance like stare.

"It is not safe here Quinn Lucy Fabray, you must come with me." His soft words seemed shy, his cheeks blushing and he began looking at our feet bashfully.

"I can keep you safe. I need to take you away from here, let me?"

I found myself feeling a very strong desire to let this stranger keep me safe, to let him lead me away into the unknown with the unknown.

"Yes" I found the word tumbling out before I had even consciously thought it; I found my whole being agreed with the word.

I watched as his eyes lit up for me as no others truly had, not so very genuinely.

"No." A voice called from behind me, I couldn't tear my gaze away from the strangers to investigate. The voice was very stern and somehow familiar. I felt waves of familiarity and nostalgia strike me making me suddenly feel very uncomfortable being with this stranger.

"Einion, what do you think you are doing with Quinn?" The voice still held its stern strength.

"Merely taking her to safety"

"Do not lie to me; she is not of your kind _Tylwyth Teg_. What does Gwyn ap Nudd want with her?"

By now I was thoroughly confused. I desperately wanted to look towards my saviour (?) but it felt as though some kind of force was physically stopping me from breaking our gaze.

"We are simply curious in her."

"This is _not _mere curiosity, she is _my_ responsibility."

Whose responsibility? Who was this person speaking?

"The lady is obliged for she has already accepted my request."

"The lady has no choice in the matter."

No choice?! How dare him, I was no one's responsibility and I could make my own choices.

Suddenly the strangers –Einion?- arms were around my waist and I was being flung over his shoulder. I felt powerless against his strength and no screams were coming up my throat. However now that our eyes were no longer engaged I could look over my shoulder towards the source of the other voice.

Said human, no, yet again not a human was apparently in utter disbelief.

This creature had startlingly crystal blue eyes that changed to emerald green with the slightest tilt of his head. His limbs resembled Einion's in their slender length and pale shade as well as his equally pointed ears though this was where their similarities ceased. This second creature was as familiar as my own face, though I had never in my memory seen him before, he radiated warmth and love. Even with his eyes so cold and hateful as he looked upon Einion. His hair was short, splaying up from his forehead vaguely resembling a large disarrayed quiff which was deep mahogany. His facial features were delicate with a slightly pointed though perfectly swooping and proportioned nose and plump lips.

As this second beautiful stranger charged forward my heart lurched, he was going to save me, no, _he just had to. _Reaching us I watched as he grabbed Einion's arm with his own long pale hand.

"YOU WILL NOT TAKE HER" The second stranger s voice thundered echoing off the very trees.

Einion spoke under his breath as he pulled his arm out of the strangers grasp. "I'd like to see you try"

In return for that comment the stranger's lips pulled up into a devilish grin with his eyebrow raising. Twisting around I watched Einion's face grow ever whiter in response.

"Your _wish _is my command." The strangers smile grew larger with his words.

With that Einion began to slowly back away, me being still across his shoulder.

"You cannot perform magic in front of her; it would give your identity away!" His voice raised several octaves.

I was guessing they were both magical so why was Einion getting so scared?

"No but I will!" A _third _voice called out from the forest to which both original strangers seemed startled by. My head was spinning.

"What are _you_ doing here Aelfwine?" The second stranger blurted out in shock.

"Just came to help an old friend out" Aelfwine spoke casually whilst sauntering out of the depths of the trees.

"Enough with the lies today" Apparently the second stranger was exasperated.

"Alright, alright well I merely came to observe the destruction of the human realm which would not be quite as entertaining lacking the infamous Violet Ida' Tryamon."

I could have sworn I saw a _smile_ creep onto the second stranger's lips.

"Well as long as you're here to help."

"For now."

And with that the two of them stood in defiance against Einion who promptly dropped me which may I add _hurt. _

Leaving a shout of "You will feel Gwyn ap Nudd's wrath" in his wake.

To which both remaining strangers began howling in laughter at.

After a moment I did a little cough so as they'd remember my presence.

"Oh I am sorry my dear lady" He began crouching down next to me as he spoke and even though we were both on the ground attempted a little bow.

"What's your name?" I blurted it out feeling as though he wasn't about to hang around for long.

"I go by Robin Goodfellow." He said with a wink.

**A/N: **_Now look up Kesha's 'Goodbye' it's appropriate and it's so not Kesha so don't get your panties in a twist, I'm an auto-tune hater too, unless we're talking adventure time. Oh Finn the human…__But yes 'Goodbye' is my jam of the moment and in turn the soundtrack to my next few days' worth of writing because I __**will**__ play it incessantly until I hate it. _

_Refocusing on relevant matters thank you for every single review, I may not get masses but they all touch me and make it that much more worth not doing my course work. Sorry for a lack of vampires Jhyena Aj Jax but Puck got the job done just fine but yes step three is definitely not going to be completed anytime soon._

_So excited about people reading this chapter and yey for faberry fluff right? If you can call that fluff. __I've been waiting so long to get my teeth well and truly into the plot so I hope you guys like the direction that this is going and pretty please review for the sake of my curiosity? _

_Just so y'all know:_

_The next chapter makes a few things clearer, in case your confused by this little twist. Though even in the next one don't discount it, oops I'm giving t much away... _

_I WILL be better at uploading -she says in vain._

_I had something else my sister distracted me and I've forgotten, lets hope it wasn't important. _

_So until next time!_


	4. A head full of bees

**A/N **_Yes, yes I know the last chapter spun off into crazy vile but there are reasons for everything, trust me in that? So this chapter isn't completely from Quinn's POV but just as a fore note the majority of the chapters __**are**__ completely from Quinn's POV, let me know your POV preferences. I thought this was necessary for the plot progression._

Somehow the full night's sleep hadn't effectively revitalized me in the slightest; I was as tired as I would be if I'd only had a few hours' worth of rest. Willing my muscles to move I rolled back against Kurt- who wasn't there? Opening my eyes I surveyed the tent, Kurt was nowhere to be seen in fact I was currently lying across his empty sleeping bag. Attempting to wake myself up I lay onto my back staring at the supporting pole above me sifting through my consciousness. Kurt was already up, my belly was rumbling, the belly which had a baby inside, we were currently living in a zombie-apocalypse, the status of my parents was still unknown and I dreamt last night; it was a ridiculous dream that questioned my sanity. The weird thing was that it felt _so _incredibly real.

Crawling out of the tent the sun blinded me, bringing my hand up for protection I analysed the fact that the sun was directly above me. It was mid-day, I'd slept in; Okay I'm a teenager, that's normal, teenagers are lazy and yeah I'd accept that but it _wasn't _normal. From the age of thirteen I had woken up every single day at 6am, so much so that I no longer needed an alarm clock, it had become engrained into my body clock. It took work to be the perfect daughter and head cheerleader. So this was pregnancy eh?

Trudging my way over to central camp, squinting against the unwelcome sunshine all thoughts on my lack of food, I ignored the other campers who were for no apparent reason gawking at me, was my hair really that bad? Once I had gotten my hands on a bowl of steaming porridge and was securely seated on the closest log I began scrutinizing the stares still being directed at me, seriously guys were you already so deprived of entertainment that I had become really _that_ interesting?

Rachel perching herself beside me was a welcome distraction from the boring stares.

"Morning"

"Or Afternoon" She corrected gently.

"Yeah, afternoon" I grumbled suddenly feeling thoroughly anti-social.

"Are you feeling okay Q?"

Touched by her casual use of my nickname I warmed again to her presence.

"Tired, which may I add is weird?"

"I'm not surprised" She was right, she didn't sound surprized.

In return I threw her a quizzical look but she chose to stare at her Mary Jane's instead of enlightening me.

Standing up, empty bowl in hand I looked down at her,

"As fun as this has been, have you seen Kurt?"

I'm not a morning person. Or afternoon person as the case may be.

"Err, no. Maybe he went with Mercedes and Tina?"

"With Mercedes and Tina _where _exactly?"

"To find their families, they're on the first expedition into the town. Stealth in small numbers you know."

"No" I was aware of how in denial I sounded and I was. In denial that is.

I walked away attempting to forget the whole conversation, I washed my dish and began searching the camp grounds for Kurt. I even started calling out for him like a lost pet dog; kissy noises and all. He really wasn't there, he was really gone and he was really in an even more life-threatening position. Unfortunately for the both of us Finn chose that moment to approach me.

"Err Hi Quinn; we haven't really spoken much have we?" He mumbled from in front of me. I looked up to see him shuffling his feet with his hands in his pockets.

He was being awkward which wasn't so much cute, more annoying as _hell._

"Yeah" And with that I made to walk away but he reached out to stop me. Big mistake. I gave him my full force death stare.

"This really isn't the time Finn"

"Well if you need anyone to talk to, you know I'm here. I don't like seeing you so scared…"

"_Scared?"_

But he just shrugged and walked off.

What the actual fuck.

I'd been sitting on the log for two hours when they came over, waiting patiently for Kurt to return, well externally patiently; internally dying with frustration and fear.

"Quinn, are you okay?"

Looking up I found them _all _standing in front of me, Artie taking lead role and speaking, how could this day get weirder? After a moment I replied

"No, but who is?"

"Well, we just don't think you're coping very well…"

"Why would you thi- wait! Is this a- an intervention?" My voice got progressively higher the more I spoke.

"Not in so many words…" Artie was obviously trying to diffuse any potential situations.

Santana was blunter.

"Yes. Because you've been acting bat shit crazy since this all started, I mean who are you? You've lost all your badass Fabray. And that stunt last night? It's bringing down my rep being associated with you."

"Stunt last night?" Okay there was seriously something they weren't telling me. "Look if you're talking about me having a conversation with Rachel then I've got news for you, we are living in a zombie a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-s-e. We're not in high school anymore."

"Eugh! You what? Out of your own free will?" I ignored her because it was quite obvious I wasn't going to get any sense out of her.

"No, look Quinn it was later. I stayed on watch all night because Puck was a no show." I watched Rachel give a particularly pointed look towards the boy in question before she continued.

"You came out of your tent talking in tongues, I walked over and you were still asleep, like sleep-walking. Anyway so you start walking out of the camp site and I couldn't stop you so basically it took five people to hold you down until you lulled back into normal sleep."

My head started banging, I couldn't cope with this. Standing up sharply I ignored the bombardment of head-rush and stormed off to my tent where I proceeded to curl up and cry. I needed Kurt.

**MERCADES POV**

Getting through the town wasn't easy. Getting through my house? Well that was just plain devastating. My mother? Gone. My father? Gone. All the family photographs on the walls? Gone. So they at least left alive, but where were they? Were they still alive? Seeing the empty rooms left my heart equally empty.

Tragically the worst was still to come.

My house no longer resembled my home; all that remained was a big ass buzzing question mark. Eventually the buzzing grew until my whole head seemed to be filled with bees, bees that stole my concentration when I came to need it most. And so we left the shell of my house behind and set course to Tina's house in my father's Jeep.

"Maybe they're in an s-s-sanctuary! The a-army might have come in and collected all survivors but we w-weren't in tow-"

"Just, please stop Tina." She'd been doing that since we left my house, trying to console me when I just wanted to break down and cry or be distracted. Since breaking down wasn't really an option here I'd have to settle for the latter. Something that Tina was making very hard.

I'd never really spoken to Tina before; this was probably the most I'd ever seen her speak.

"Tina, I'm emotionally tired. Can we just do this?"

"I-I'm sorry"

We'd reached her house; I pulled up onto her driveway.

"I-I want to g-g-o in alone."

"That wasn't the plan Tina…"

"Look you're probably going to be more of a hindrance than a help in that state." Tina's fierce attitude caught me off guard, I looked her over with fresh eyes, maybe there was more to her than a stuttering wallflower. She was right, my wet cheeks and blurred vision told me that much.

"If you happen to have any tater tots don't hesitate in getting them"

I observed a small smile tug her lips.

I should have said no. I should have forced my protection upon her. I should have wiped my tears and sorted my head out because it wasn't the time. I should have…

I didn't.

Her screams pierced my consciousness sitting me bolt upright, too late I wiped the tears, too late I ran to her rescue.

**QUINNS POV**

After a while I forced myself up, Rachel's sweet voice floated through calling me to dinner. As I sat down silence fell, ignoring scrutinizing gazes I sat with the group and ate my share of soup.

"Don't worry Q, they're just worried." Rachel whispered settling down next to me with her own vegetable soup.

I wasn't used to public weakness.

"Well they should be worried about _themselves _because if I catch _one_ more stare…" I spoke at full volume, piercing on-lookers with my signature death stare.

Out of the corner of my eye I caught Santana smile.

I needed to reaffirm my positioning in the group. Without Kurt I'd lost my willpower to be Lucy. Making sure the gesture was entirely visible I looked Rachel up and down in plain disgust then stood up. The expression of hurt on her face broke my heart but I couldn't help it, I couldn't be weak or maybe this was being weak. Walking over purposefully with my soup I sat myself next to Finn who happily let me burrow myself into his side. Just as I had expected Santana and Britney followed suit and came to sit by my side.

We spent the evening laughing and making snide comments as though it really made sense to do so in our situation.

I was tired and worn to the core by the time I escaped to my tent, having had to bat off Finns requests of joining me. All I expected to be waiting for me was a warm sleeping bag and a goodnights sleep. I was wrong.

"Well that made for a most regaling show out there my dear lady."

Robin Goodfellow, as in dream-fairy-elf-magical-being-Robin-Goodfellow lay across my sleeping bag, confronting me with his head propped up by his arm making him look almost seductive. His voice was confident with a tinge of mocking. He was entirely as striking as he had been the night before; in fact his pale glow seemed to be illuminating the tent.

I found myself rather speechless, stock-still in the entrance of my tent.

"Well that's a dazzling greeting my lady, care to enlighten me with more words of your wisdom?"

"Hi…" I said lamely.

"Hi" He mimicked me eerily.

Suddenly my voice returned with force.

"Well would you like to enlighten _me _and explain why you're in my tent? Or for that matter what happened last night?" My voice was dripping with sarcasm. Though it was hard to do so; he was emitting that whole warmth and love thing.

"Oh hello Quinny, I wondered where you were!" A smile spread lazily across his face.

I actually looked behind me, dick.

"Well come on in, make yourself comfortable!"

I hesitantly crawled in and sat Indian-style in front of him.

"So."

"So…"

"What are you?" I wondered if that was a rude question, like asking a woman her age.

"Fae, though you might know me as a _fairy_." Amusement was definitely present in his voice.

"And why are you here? Why did that other- other Fae want me?"

"Sometimes it's best not to know the answer." He was still smiling but I knew he was being serious.

"He tried to kidnap me didn't he?"

For a moment he sat silently staring at me.

"Do not ever say yes to a Fae, do not ever follow a Fae. Stay away from them; they are _not_ friendly no matter how beautiful they are. Do you hear me?" Jovial expressions all but forgotten, his voice had grown hard and serious.

"Aren't you a Fae?" I said trying to lift the mood.

At first he looked upon me disapprovingly but after a moment the most beautiful laughter filled the tent.

"Indeed."

"So I shouldn't trust you?"

"No, I don't suppose you should"

I found myself leaning forward, drinking in the familiarity of this extraordinary being.

"Is this a dream?" My voice was soft and dazed, I felt drunk on his very presence.

"Oh yes, of course this is a dream my dear." And there it was; that cheeky wink.

When I woke up it was morning, Kurt was beside me as though he had never left, the day before wasn't a dream though; I couldn't have been. Yesterday's clothes were sprawled across the floor and Kurt was definitely in different pyjamas, were they all back? Kurt, Tina and Mercedes?

**A/N:** _Sorry for the length of this chapter, it really isn't my favourite but it really was essential link in the plot development. Please look past this one's faults and stick around for the next chapter? Opinions, thoughts, questions and reviews are welcome. _


	5. The boy

**A/N: **_Okay so Kurt's POV today guys._

I had been on my feet for hours; they seemed to have eroded with the changing landscape, blisters forming so large that I was now left wondering whether I was imagining the sensation of my feet being raised, only the blisters themselves touching the hard packed mud. Leaving last night I had no time to think of anything past my immediate alarm, no time for silly little shoes with their extravagant time-devouring laces. Silly little shoes that I no longer took for granted. I had finally come within a 10mile proximity of Lima's airport, at least that's what the sign nestled into the overgrown undergrowth beside the road said, evidently I was now 8 miles from camp. Two days without a steady traffic of human population and the road already seemed barren the only sign of anyone with less than four legs had been a corpse filled pick-up truck which wasn't offering me comfort anytime soon. The horizon held the pleasure of but more bare stretches of weathered road, vacant houses lining said road that seemed to have been scattered just sparsely enough for any occupants to not bother calling the next their neighbour. Not only was the skin on my feet wearing thin, but also my sanity. The world around me had a sense of abandonment; on the chance that I did happen to come across a house with a short driveway its door was likely to be pointlessly open, lawn mower cast aside yet still plugged in, washing hanging still awaiting attendance that was likely to never come.

I was starting to feel sympathy for abandoned washing when I caught sight of a dark shape bobbing out of the corn that hedged the road. Instantly I was alert, pondering whether to fight or flee. The sai swords in my pocket said fight, my catatonic boredom said fight and so I launched myself at the corn field. Only when I was upon him, my arms hovering over him like a praying mantis mid strike did his pleading reach my ears, zombies didn't plead. I stilled my muscles and gave myself a moment to focus; a boy with a mass of curly waves was curled defensively before me, his body violently shaking and as though in response to seeing such a vulnerable creature I felt my knees give, within the next moment I was kneeling beside him.

"Hey" My voice sounded abnormally rough; I hadn't spoken or drank in quite a while. Swallowing I continued.

"I'm not one of them, I won't hurt you. I promise"

His head lifted slowly out of his cradling arms, vast honey eyes brimming with tears met my gaze. He looked like a doe so sweet and so very frightened, his shaking didn't cease but I watched as his features smoothed his muscles relaxing at my non-threatening presence. Gingerly I put my hand on his shoulder, his eyes followed my movement but he didn't protest. The shine in his hair caught my eye in the suns persistent glare, it was gelled back in a very traditional manner, it suited him, he looked suave even with his dark curls escaping the gels clutches around the edges and the blemishes on his blazer that told me he belonged to an exclusive institute. I let myself drink in his appearance, his plump parted lips, his bronzed skin and structured face. He was utterly beautiful.

"You're not one of them" It was a statement but such a quiet one that it seemed like it was more for his own ears.

"No, I'm not." Sitting myself down on the flattened corn I took my hand back and did my best to project friendliness.

"I'm hurt" The pain was evident in his voice and as I scanned him over I found the source.

His ankle that was peeking from between his suit-trousers and boater shoes was swollen and appallingly bruised.

"How did this happen? Were you bitten?"

"No! No, I wasn't bitten. I was running away from a- one of those things, I had climbed onto a roof of that house." He pointed towards a house that was just distinguishable in the distance. "I thought maybe they wouldn't be able to climb, but they can you know. And he-it did, he was so close, so fast and there was no way down so I jumped off the two story building and ran into the corn, I've been hiding here for a few hours."

"Well, I'm here now, I'll help you."

In response I noticed small smile playing at his lips.

"So what's the damage?"

He began rolling up his trousers leg gradually with a look of agony etched into his features, from his toes to his knee he was enflamed, black, indigo and yellow bruises patching his leg. It had to have been broken or fractured; my guess was brakes and a lot of them.

"Can you walk on it?"

"No. Not at all, in fact at the attempt I mimic a particularly boisterous car alarm."

"Stay here"

"Like I could do anything other"

Ignoring his sarcasm that actually just sounded wistful I made my way across the road to the tree lined edge, luckily the majority were saplings. Ten minutes, one splinter, three potential blisters and two trees later I had a decent length of wood for him to use as a crutch.

Walking back I began stripping off my Dolce and Gabbana shirt, I had an eye for beautiful things, what could I say? I couldn't help but notice his eyes raking my bare torso as I reached him; I made an attempt to hide my responding smile. Kneeling down I tenderly lifted his leg up, my intuition told me that his ankle was in the worst shape so I ripped my beloved shirt in half and tied it around his ankle as tightly as I could bear. Then handing him the crutch I put my arm around his back helping him up.

"Is that all right? Just keep your leg off the ground okay?"

"Yeah, this is doable. Thank you, but can you keep hold of me because I really need the support?"

In return I simply smiled and clutched his back tighter. We began walking -hobbling in his case- towards the camp.

"So… where are we going?"

"Me and my- well my friends have a camp on the outskirts of town, its temporary but it's got supplies."

I noticed his uniform again.

"What're you doing all the way out here?"

"I come from Westerville. I ran when the attacks started, I ran and I didn't look back. It was stupid but I was panicking, I kept on my feet but the- that thing still found me"

"We call them the fallen."

"Oh, right. What're you doing out here, so far from camp?"

I stalled for a moment,

"Just walking"

I watched as he looked at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Right."

"Right. So I think we can manage to scrap up some ice for your leg which should help. And really you just need to lie down a lot."

"Yep."

"You'll have to share a tent but it's really not so bad." I was rambling and he knew it.

"I'm Blaine." I smiled relieved at his mercifulness.

"I'm Kurt."

Blaine, Blaine was a nice name. Blaine.

The time passed excruciatingly slowly, Blaine's gasps of pain growing less sporadic with every step. By the time we'd reached the mile mark Blaine was on my back, he was surprisingly light. He was muscular where I was slender but I was tall where he was small, we balanced each other off nicely. I needed to get back to camp, it was imperative; I needed to get to Quinn. If we had to leave just myself, Q and Blaine then that's what would happen but I needed her to be safe and right now she was definitely not. When I felt Blaine's hand grasp my shoulder his breath rugged in my ear I knew I had to stop, I had vowed to always keep Quinn's safety a priority but Blaine's pain was too excruciating to disregard.

I lay him down in the long corn once more, this time settling beside him; we were submerged in the crop safely when I examined his condition. My heart dropped as my eyes landed on his sweat-slick face, his eyes were scarcely open and his breathing was shallow.

"Kurt?" His voice was barely audible.

"Yes Blaine?"

"It hurts—so bad." Desperation was thick in his voice.

"I know Blaine."

Looking at his immense honey eyes so full of pain was torture, laying myself down I wrapped my arm around his shivering body, he nestled into my side, laying his head on my chest.

"Kurt?"

"Yes Blaine?"

"Sing to me?"

Looking down at his sea of dark curls that my lips itched to kiss I decided to let him see me. See all of me, and so I sang.

"If you can't sleep

This lullaby, is meant to help you dream

I'll be there in your dreams

It's just you and me, everything's alright

So sleep, don't think about the world tonight

Dream of only beautiful things

And maybe once of me"

Opening my eyes to find that Blaine had rolled onto his stomach with his arms crossed on my chest a smile broke across my face. His eyes still looking heavy and his face still had a distinct hue of grey but awe was written plainly across his features. I didn't let the creeping guilt capture my thoughts; instead I chose to focus on Blaine's beautiful face.

"What are you?" It was a serious question.

"Here for you" I replied quickly and simply.

He settled his head down against my chest and extraordinarily quickly fell to sleep. His gentle breathing began to lull me into unconsciousness that I was trying desperately to fight off, his body was sweltering against me and his pain-induced sweat was slick against my bare chest. Lying with what was essentially a stranger sleeping against me I couldn't help but want to know his world, who had he been? None of the William McKinley members other than Quinn had wanted to leave without their loved ones, they'd point blank refused. Blaine had left running without a backwards glance; perhaps his life hadn't been as perfect as his blazer led one to believe.

After half an hour of twitching anxiously I knew we couldn't stay any longer, more for Quinn than our own protection. Gently rolling Blaine's sleeping form off of my chest I noticed dribble trailing from the edge of his mouth and couldn't help but smile to myself. I stood stretching out like a cat and knowing I'd feel the corn indents in the morning.

Crouching to take his weight with my knees I slipped my arms under Blaine's shoulders and knees, once I was sure I wouldn't drop him I stood with him cradled and sleeping in my arms. Not letting the strain control my thoughts I began to walk carrying him (somehow he wasn't waking up) I needed to get back to my promise, back to my heart. I could feel the physical tug in my belly as though myself and Quinn were attached by ropes and she was reeling me in. Thankfully we had crashed out only a mile from camp and it was a downhill journey.

Once we arrived with Blaine still sleeping in my arms I slipped into mine and Quinn's tent, laying Blaine in my own sleeping bag I crawled over to Quinn's sleeping form, I could see her chest rising and falling gently, seeing her face in the dimly lit tent made my heart swell, only once it had filled my throat did I turn my attention back to Blaine's needs. I managed to pull together an extra blanket, an ice pack and a towel.

After laying the blanket over him I gently lifted his leg into my arms, wrapped it with the towel and began to place ice over it to control the bruising, making sure to keep my fingers feather light.

"Ice for twenty minutes every hour" I murmured to myself trying to remember what I'd done last time I was sent dumpster surfing, by some of my camp-mates may I add?

After a couple of moments I turned to look at Blaine's sleeping face, instead I was greeted with a small smile. His head was tilted up and he was watching me silently.

"Hi sleepy head"

I kept my voice at a whisper.

"Hi" His voice was too raspy for my liking.

"Stay here…"

"Like I could leave."

I smiled at his repetition and left the tent, hurrying across the camp to the caravan whilst avoiding Pucks guard; though Puck seemed to have fallen asleep, wow now I felt so much better leaving the safety of my Quinn to these buffoons. Sneaking a granola bar or five, an apple and some left-over chicken I turned on the kettle. I hoped Blaine liked the extravagant feast because it was all I could muster. Once the hot chocolate was made I headed back, Blaine was already asleep again so I sat myself back down opening a granola bar and moving the ice again, after a moment I noticed his eyes flutter.

"There's hot chocolate beside you and all the food you could ever imagine."

"Thank you Kurt."

I watched with amusement as Blaine worked his way through the supplies I'd brought him between bites lolling back to sleep. I started to make bets with myself whenever he lifted a hand full of food to his mouth whether it'd make it before sleep took him again.

My feet felt like they were on fire and my whole body seemed to burn with over-exertion. Feeling as though a weight had been implanted into my head I lay down beside Blaine's legs still attending to the ice through half closed eyes.

Until finally sleep took me.

I awoke with Quinn practically latched onto my side and Blaine curled at the other. I desperately wanted to check Blaine over, to see if he looked more _alive _but I couldn't pull myself from Quinn's embrace both physically and mentally. Tilting my head down awkwardly I found her sweet face, however the sweet face in question was staring back at me.

"Kurt, what happened? Are Tina and Mercedes back? Who's that? Are you okay? Was anyone hurt?"

The onslaught of questions hit me the moment she realised I was awake. I was too shocked to keep up my façade.

"Tina and Mercedes! Where did they go?"

"What? You weren't with them?"

I felt my cheeks rush with blood but ignored her question.

"Where are they?"

"I think they're still in town…"

I kept my voice very controlled and calm as I continued

"They were in town."

"Yes."

"They may just still be in town."

"Yes."

Shit.

They were dead; I could feel it in my heart that was currently sitting in my stomach region. I hadn't protected them. Mercedes. Gone.

I clutched my arms as tightly as I dared around Quinn hoping my embrace wouldn't leave bruises. I would not let Quinn out of my sight again.

"Kurt, please, where were you?"

"On a walk."

"What kind of walk takes 25 hours?" Her eyes grew round and I found myself wanting to hide from their probing gaze.

"A long one."

**A/N **_As always if anyone feels any confusion don't hesitate to PM me, I most likely have an explanation. I got a little inspiration for the lullaby from basically my whole playlist but safe and sound by Taylor Swift fits perfectly, if I hadn't of wanted an original song I would have used that one. Yes I know another small chapter but don't worry the actions picking up pretty soon thus longer chapters._


	6. A love lost

**Disclaimer: Please, please, please if you are of a sensitive disposition then don't read. Traumatic scenes and death. **

**A/N** _Okay, okay so I've been seriously lacking on the uploads front, but with good reason. I've been absolutely swamped with college work. However the 22__nd__ onwards is my half term so I'm planning on building up a backlog of uploads for y'all. As my disclaimer says this contains sensitive topics and no matter how much it pains me to lose readers, I really can't go traumatising anyone._

It had been two days since Mercedes and Tina left in search of their loved ones leaving the camp tense with fear. I felt like I was blindly trying to get through a labyrinth where the partitions were coated in blades, unable to see whether my friends were still behind me. My mind had become a forbidding place to be. I was sitting in my tent on a mound of sleeping bags, the comfiest seating arrangement I'd had in days, I watched over Blaine's sleeping form. His fever had been at a relentless peak; as I watched a bead of sweat rolled down the side of his forehead. I needed to bathe him, just with cold flannels but I couldn't bear to wake him. For once Kurt wasn't a lingering shadow over Blaine, he was by the camp fire contributing to the heated discussion that had been dominating everyone's waking thoughts; our imminent danger. I didn't want to think of our hazardous location, couldn't bear to decide whether we should give up our faith on Tina and Mercedes.

Instead I sat with an unconscious stranger trying to keep my morning sickness at bay. Yes morning sickness. Looking down over my protruding stomach shielded in a loose cotton dress that picked up the faint orange luminosity of the tent I let my hand tease the hemline. I hadn't looked at my stomach in days, I couldn't bear the significance that its appearance held but I also couldn't hide from it forever. I couldn't hide from anything forever, not from Rachel who I had been avoiding like the plague, not from Tina and Mercedes mortality, not from our uncertain future or from my unborn child. More over my unborn child did not deserve to be ignored. Holding the hem between two fingers I timidly lifted my dress, gaining more nerve at the sight of the tight skin that really wasn't all that foreboding, I pulled it over my bump in a single swift movement; letting my hand run across the surface of my stomach and my mouth drop in awe. Some part of me had not believed it, not believed that I could actually be carrying something so pure within me, that I could really be a mother. That part of me perished beneath the weight of my child's magnificence. Seeing my bump brought a tidal wave of love, love for the child inside me; a love that I couldn't comprehend, a love that I could only be in awe of.

"You will be loved" I whispered softly to my stomach.

A love that was very tangible and equally as in danger.

Looking down, down at my stomach I let my mind wander, let my subconscious drift in to the abyss that as our newfound reality. I let scenes of empty playgrounds fill my glassy eyes, I let the echo of laughter and school bells fill my ears. All the dead children filled my mind, the sorriest sight conceivable. The empty corridors and the empty classrooms, I thought of rotten apples on teachers abandoned desks that had been left hastily, forgotten. My child growing inside me, would she, he ever see a playground full of children. Would I ever tearily see my child off on their first day of school? Would I ever save a college fund up, would I ever watch my daughter, son graduate? Would my child ever get to run freely, without a care or a heart filled with grief? I thought about the freedom that running held, running for dear life and screaming so wickedly as the person who was 'it' started catching up, even though really I craved to be 'it', to have the limelight. I still ran away terrified. I remembered when everything came naturally, when everyone was best friends. I recalled the first day of school that I went in with my braces on; I remembered their carefree laughter and my tears. I remembered feeling unworthy of my perfect family and I remembered my family showing me they felt I was unworthy of their perfection. I remembered forcing myself to be perfect.

To be a Fabray.

My child would not go by the name of Fabray, nor Puckerman. My child would be free to choose her, his own last name. To be his, her own person. If I could give my child could have nothing more in this sorry reality then I would give my child freedom.

Letting my eyes refocus, my mind slip back into the present the first thing I saw was the tears, filling my vision like I were submerged in water. The second was through the soft world tears provided, Blaine.

"Quinn?"

Startled I looked over at Blaine's sickly form, His head was turned towards me and his eyes were wide.

I hadn't spoken much to Blaine; whenever he was conscious Kurt monopolized him. I knew that he was kind and gentle; I knew that Kurt was falling for him like he'd fallen for no other. I knew Kurt trusted him so I trusted him. None the less my heart filled my throat like an expanding balloon. I hurriedly pulled my dress over my abdomen.

"You don't need to hide from me Quinn, I won't judge you."

He spoke so softly, his voice filled with such compassion that I couldn't help but feel my rigid muscles relax.

"I…"

I genuinely had no words so as I attempted to speak, say something, anything my voice cracked and I felt a new wave of tears fill my eyes.

"Hey, hey come here."

Behind the weakness that his physical condition brought on his voice seemed confident, he sounded like someone in control. And God knew I needed someone to take control for me, so I crawled over to his sickly form and let him slip his solid arms around me to pull me into his embrace. He was hot but his body had started to shiver and I could feel the Goosebumps on his bare arms against me, I found myself curling into him wanting to warm him as much as he wanted to comfort me.

"I'm scared and I don't like it, I don't want to be scared anymore. I'm sick of being scared of my own shadow." I found the words tumbling out before my mind chose to say them but it was true. I felt like someone was going to sneak up behind me and pull every good thing I'd ever had from under me.

After a few long silent moments Blaine spoke, his voice was quiet but strong.

"My entire life I've been telling myself "don't be afraid"; I've been hiding my fear and telling it to go away. But it's only now that I'm grasping how stupid that is. Don't be afraid; that's like saying "don't flinch at the heat of fire" or "don't move out of the way of a hit" or "don't blink." Don't be human." He sighed a deep sigh that made my head rise and fall with his chest. "Quinn, I'm afraid and you're afraid and we're always going to be afraid, because that's the point, we're only human."

"Can we be afraid together for a bit then?"

He didn't reply he just looked at me. His eyes told me "yes, of course, I'm here for and with you." It was a look that I'd only seen two other people give me.

No, not my parents.

Kurt and Rachel.

I could see something forming.

I'd been surrounded by so many people devoted to an image, my image but I felt so alone. I had all eyes on me but they were cold. This was different; having gazes filled with compassion on you. It fills you all up and makes you feel like you're not alone. Having three people close to me felt warmer than a hundred stares.

I let my eyes flutter shut.

I wake up to shouting; shouting and a thudding heart.

"Blaine what's happening?"

"I don't really know. They've been getting progressively louder, arguing about leaving and safety."

Kurt's shrill tones broke through my consciousness at that moment,

"Don't be so pig _headed_!"

Within the next moment Santana's volume rose to match,

"Pig headed?! Pig-" Santana's words turned to what I could only describe as feral snarls.

In reaction to the sound my every nerve awoke, I knew that sound, I'd seen her make that sound. I knew that Santana was currently hurtling herself at Kurt, my delicate, lovely Kurt; claws first.

I was out of Blaine's arms faster than you could say over-protective. But as I reached my destination, my eyes landing on Kurt I found him holding his own. Of course Finn and Puck holding Santana back helped but Kurt's fury simmered for no savage cheerleader.

In fact Santana's outburst seemed to only be fuelling Kurt.

"Yes! PIG HEADED. ALL OF YOU! I AM TRYING TO KEEP YOU ALIVE, WHAT ABOUT THAT DON'T YOU GRASP? THIS IS NOT SAFE, WE ARE NOT SAFE!"

"Come on man we can't just leave Mercedes and Tina aren't back" Finn seemed to be trying fruitlessly to stand his ground whilst diffusing the situation.

In return Kurt's voice grew cold, his face relaxing from its mask of fury.

"Do you truly believe they are coming back?"

_The eye of the storm; I knew his tone from the way my farther used to address me. Hate in its purest form oozing from the words, his mind white hot with anger. _

A gasp that seemed to echo the campground burst unexpectedly from my lips at his cruel words, a gasp that I regretted before it even finished.

Kurt spun on me with an expression full of such loathing that it shocked me to my core, making my legs turn to what felt like iron.

"NOT YOU TOO, NO QUINN. I-YOU-I CAN'T. NOT YOU QUINN."

And with that he stormed off, I watched until he had gone too far for my eyes to see.

Only once he was out of sight did I feel my muscles give, my knees crashing to the floor.

I didn't understand it. It had been at least an hour since Kurt had stormed off, they'd looked around but no one had a clue where he was. I had never expected Kurt to express such hatred towards me; of all people I thought he actually understood me. Knew me.

"An hour! An hour, where could he have gone? Anything could have happened in an hour! _Anything" _We both knew what I was implying, Blaine and I.

"Quinn it hasn't been an hour, it's been 25 minutes at the very most. He's fine, he's just calming down. Better he did it away from the group." No matter how soothing Blaine intended his words to be there was a nervous edge to them that ruined the effect completely.

Picking the wash cloth up once more I continued dabbing his forehead, trying to focus on the menial task at hand.

"How're you feeling?" I could feel my face fall in to a mask of worry.

"I'd be better if I could have a shower."

"Be careful what you wish for, that caravan shower leaves you with bruised elbows and goose bumps."

I watched a smirk creep onto his face making me gently hit his arm

"Hey you get me, your gorgeous, marvellous, exceptionally intelligent, raucously hilarious nurse." I said trying to keep the laughter out of my voice.

He raised a thick brow in question but went along with it.

"Oh I see, well I have been most ungracious. Do excuse me for forgetting to bow upon your entrance."

"You're forgiven. Come on now; help me get you up so I can sponge your back."

Gently I eased him up, and shuffled in behind him. As he turned his head to look at me sitting behind him I feigned disgust wrinkling my nose.

"Ew, you sticky mess."

I started work on his sweat slick back, sponging it with a damp cloth. I watched as he took the water bowl onto his lap, dipping his head in until all of his hair was submerged.

"What on earth are you doing?"

He then proceeded to flip his head back up, spraying me with water, making me gasp in the process. Turning I watched a devilish smile form on his lips and attempted to jump away but he still soaked me, shaking his head like a dog.

"Blaine!"

The air was filled with a mischievous laughter as he moulded his hair, parting the now soaked curls and slicking them back. Suddenly he looked incredibly dapper.

"Well someone's feeling better."

But as he sagged back against the sleeping bags I knew he wasn't really better. That he'd used up all of his energy.

"That's better" A lazy smile grazed his lips as he spoke.

"Blaine?" I spoke cautiously

"Yeah?"

"What were you like in the real world? I mean pre-apocalyptic?"

His face gently scrunched in response to the words, it was the universal 'thinking face'.

"I, well I guess…" His voice had lost all confidence and he seemed abruptly confused, on the verge of scared.

"I don't know" He said after a long moment.

His face looked so raw, so vulnerable that I knew something wasn't right.

"Blaine wh-" But I was interrupted by a small figure darting into our tent, a look of terror on her face.

Rachel.

"Rachel, Rach what's wrong?" It was only as she broke my bubble that I noticed the distant screams.

"Quinn, there are zombies, really close. There were some, some other people and they weren't far, but now they're screaming and the zombies are coming and-" Her voice shook so hard it was almost undecipherable.

Grabbing her small form up into my embrace I felt adrenaline course through my veins. He needed to move, or fight, something, _right now. _

Weapons. I needed weapons.

"Stay here whatever you do. Just, Rach look after him. I'll be right back."

Looking back over my shoulder at Blaine's waxen face and Rachel's tiny form I knew I had to protect them. Trying to keep my mind off of Kurt I ran to the caravan, letting the world blur, letting Santana's form handing Britney a large knife blur, letting terrified faces and large orange tents blur. Frantically scanning the work surfaces for potential weapons I let my had whip out and grasp the handle of a heavy frying pan but before I can turn and throw myself back out to the tent a sharp pain engulfs my hand making me drop the frying pan.

"Shit!"

I look down at my already blistering hand and curse my allergy to iron. Hurling myself at the sink I turn on the tap and run cool water over my swelling hand, take a deep breath and let myself focus, scanning the surfaces once more. Wrapping my hand in a tea towel I picked up two large knifes and a rolling pin.

Finally running from the caravan I tried not to let the slack grey figures approaching distract me from my purpose. Once in the tent once more I handed Rachel and Blaine a knife each.

"Blaine can you walk?"

"If I have to I can do anything." He said his voice thick with determination.

"We're going to see how many there are, fend them off until we know for sure we need to leave the camp."

Lose all of our possessions and transportation.

I looking down over Blaine's feverish form

"Rachel can you stand at the tent entrance?" I let myself dive forward and kiss her forehead leaving her sock still, proceeding to run from the tent before I could regret it.

I'm immediately faced a scene of sheer chaos, friends already at hand to well face combat. Steeling myself against nerves I charged, letting a warrior roar rip from my throat.

I Launched off of the ground rolling-pin first towards the closest 'fallen'. Watching her pallid limbs flail one last time as she fell to the hard earth I coughed in an attempt to subside the lump that had taken up residency in my throat. Resisting the need to bend down and gently close her eyelids I forced my gaze away, towards my next victim. My next victim- my mind stuttered at the sight.

My father.

The father who had fed me when I was too young to hold a spoon, whom pushed me on the swing when my legs were too short to push off the wood chip. The man who raised me stood before me.

The look in his eyes as he tended to his growing daughter –me- was one of disgust and regret. I let that fill my consciousness and somehow his glassy eyes filled once more with that disappointment.

That made it easier to look at his newly pallid complexion, his shallow cheeks, dragging leg and vicious stance.

He was upon my in moments, thirsting for my death. Just as I'd always secretly thought he had, just now he was literally attempting to murder me.

Raising my rolling pin in my shaking hands, glaring through tear filled eyes as his lumbering mass savagely cut its way towards me.

You know how they say your life flashes before your eyes when you die? Well that's what happened, not as I died but as that part of me died. The Fabray. As my rolling pin came down repeatedly upon my father's head I saw all the unrequited love, all the hate and all the ways I changed myself to be good enough for him. I watched as all those changes fell away and as my father fell to the hard-packed mud.

Dazed, I stepped back, seeing my father lying before me with glassy eyes staring unseeingly those steps became more frantic, stumbling backward in a desperate attempt to put space between myself and his corpse. Eyes darting wildly and panic building in my chest making it hard to breathe I tripped falling to my knees. Looking up my eyes seemed to lose all peripheral vision as I noticed a shimmering that drew my gaze and made my body slack, feeling drawn to the distant iridescence. Trying to tear my gaze away, knowing distantly in my mind that I'm not safe and I should be defending myself against the fallen; my eyes skim over a familiar face, a face that fills my heart with hope. Kurt, running from the distant shimmering towards me, but still so far away; too far away because in the next moment a heavy mass was on me. Blinding me with a cotton shirt, a fallen. My arms still lay slack at my sides, unable prevent the face that was beginning to bare down on me, snapping _her _jaws and digging her nails into my shoulder. But in the next moment just as her knee connected with my stomach causing shooting pains to bombard my abdomen her face that had been hovering momentarily over my face froze before falling limp onto my own face. Her head proceeded to be pushed off of mine and Rachel's face anxious filled my vision.

You can't just expect someone to save you.

There are no superheroes.

There are people, real people who save you out of love. People who save you a second too late; but that's because they're human. They weren't bitten by a spider or an alien orphan.

The battle finished with minimal damage for most. There were only seventeen fallen but that was all it took.

I lost my baby.

Each sob tore a part of me out with it, my very soul dissipating with the sounds vibrations in the stale air. My numb mind couldn't process the danger that my strangled cry's where drawing upon us. Nor could it understand the protesting arms waving in my tear soaked face. In those moments I welcomed the fallen. Take my pain away I pleaded them.

When my mind had calmed enough for me to think once more I desperately crawled over to the tent flaps and peered through. Yes, it was still there; the distant shimmer. Letting my body collapse again I lay face down, feeling my chest tightening again, choking on my sobs. I felt hollow; so hollow that I couldn't support my own weight.

Kurt pulled me back into his arms and cried until I ran out of tears, most of them now in Kurt's shirt. He stayed with me all night, occasionally whispering sorry for leaving me, for not being there to protect him, even though it wasn't his fault. Rachel brought me water sitting with us for long periods of time and Blaine lay beside us, in his fevered state drifting in and out of consciousness. After a long sleepless night of tears in Kurt's arms I lay down I felt clean fresh morning air wash over my stiff body, making my every muscle relax and my minds thump dissolve until I fell to sleeps grasp.

Looking down at my knobbly knees that weren't smooth and Barbie-like as my mothers were I felt the same sense of shame; if only I'd stop falling over and grazing them, if only they were beautiful like mums. I'm sitting on my landing, observing between the bars at my parents who are entering the living room adjacent to the hall aka stairs. They're fighting, again. About me, again. I'm thirteen. I have brown pigtails, glasses, braces and an excessive amount of baby fat.

"SHES NOT NORMAL, SHES NOT RIGHT." She's hysterical and it seems my father's making an attempt to calm her.

"We took her in, that was our decision."

That just goes over my head.

"SHES NOT MY BABY GIRL, I JUST WANT MY BABY GIRL."

"Quinn died Judy. We haven't had our baby in a long time. She's all we have."

I feel tears spill across my chubby cheeks and confusion throb my head.

"I CAN'T EVEN TOUCH HER"

"Why? She's our baby."

"She's not. She shouldn't look like us Russell. Why does she look like us?"

And as suddenly as I was thrust into the past I wake up. Lying in Kurt's sleeping embrace, my eyelashes still clumped with tears.

That's not how I remembered it! In reality they had been arguing over how their child wasn't normal. How she didn't fit in, not that I wasn't theirs.

That was when I became Quinn. I decided to be everything they wanted me to be.

_If only I'd known I was taking on someone else's life_.


	7. The kiss

**A/N **_Okay before you get confused if you aren't already I'll warn you that you will most likely get confused for (hopefully) __**small **__bursts of time, though please believe me that everything will explain itself and unravel. What you are confused over is most likely purposely setup, for future plot twists and developments. On a somewhat brighter note this chapter should be an exception, call it the eye of the storm if you will but after the last chapter here's a breather. Albeit a miniscule chapter… sorry?_

I couldn't sleep again. I could never sleep; if my dreams weren't laced with my father's limp body falling to the floor they were drenched in images of the blood, of the loss, of my baby. I'd slipped out of Kurt's embrace and lain on the grass star-gazing, it was only when I heard her sweet voice float towards me that I realized I wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep. Tip-toeing over I watched her, she was singing a soft song that I didn't recognize but it was beautiful none the less.

I had been torturing myself with Rachel in a somewhat sadistic manner throughout the duration of our camping, watching her secretly and letting my gaze lap up her beauty. You see as beautiful as she was, as warm as she made me feel there was still something holding me back. Still a part of myself that couldn't bear the thought of me becoming so vulnerable to someone, a part of me that knew I'd hurt her, who knew she would never love me back. A part of me so confused that it forced me to act fickle around her, letting her in one moment but then slamming the door to my heart the next.

"Quinn?"

Rachel turned to see me standing behind her; I hoped she hadn't noticed quite how long I had been watching her, the arch of her back, the ripple of her hair. Cursing myself silently for doing this to myself again.

It was only then that I noticed the tears on her cheeks. I took my opportunity and wrapped my arms around her slight body.

"Don't worry." I said trying to focus on her instead of the feel of her arms holding me back.

"Well that's not exactly easy these days is it? Besides I just can't. My father's aren't here to hold me. I only hope that Egypt is safer than here. The sun will make the fallen slower right? At least that's what I keep telling myself. But really, no one cares do they? They all have their own difficulties, losses, worries. It's hard living in a world with no compassion. Where everyone is too hurt to share comfort, at least not to me. I don't have anyone like the others, everyone but me seems to have someone."

Her voice sounded choked, her sadness echoing in her heart.

"You have me"

I whispered it so quietly that I was surprised she heard me.

"Not really though Q, I'm no one's one and only."

"No."

"Pardon?"

"No. You are my one and only."

"But… I thought… Finn."

She finished lamely.

"I don't love him Rachel."

I took everything I had to say those words, because what I was implying was so very precious, the secret in my heart.

"I'm in love with you Quinn."

Her words hurtled out and the intense shock of them ricocheted through my very being.

Without letting a moment pass, without letting myself think I crushed my lips against hers, feeling her lips part against mine, moulding themselves together I felt my stomach twist and felt myself prickle right down to my toes.

I let myself love her with my fingertips and my uneven knees, with my collarbone and my elbows, with my knuckles and the thousand tiny freckles speckling my body, my wrinkles and my storybook of scars.

And I let myself love her with all the spaces in-between. How very irrational it is to think that you love only with your heart. The heart is merely an organ with a job to do, a quota to fill. Loving her I didn't love with a blood-pumping machine. I loved with every inch of my body.

She lifted her hand up cupping my jaw; I held my hand against the small of her back, pushing her into me, wanting to feel every line of her body. As I did so I felt her begin to walk against me, advancing me back against a tree, I felt her breath run down my throat as we deepened the kiss.

After an countless amount of time she broke away, I watched the shock register on her face; I couldn't just let her go.

I slowly and gently brushed my swollen lips against hers, keeping our hands by our sides this time. I pulled back after a moment and watched her lean towards me, hesitate and then through herself back into the kiss, that signature smile being the last thing I saw before I closed my eyes and lost myself in our kiss again.

The amount of times I'd whispered to myself in bed at night, "Look, Quinn _I_ love you." Along to some daydream is innumerable, I'd always wanted to love and be loved in return. I had just been scared of the fall.

_Well now I'd fallen._

**A/N **continuation of beginning authors note: _Think of my story as a French braid, I'm giving you all these little strands that are intricately winding and twisting together until the end where I will tie them all up and It will look beautiful. Okay so maybe that's an exaggeration of my abilities but it is my intention and once I thought of that metaphor I couldn't get it out of my head. Say, something that confuses you in chapter 9 makes you go "oooooh" in chapter 20. _

_Also just so you know in a couple of chapters time some big stuffs going down, (I tell you now instead of overloading you with information at the time) some things that you might not completely understand, to help you with this I will be compiling a guide that I will give a link to for you to refer to._

_Finally I just wanted to thank all of my readers in this rather cheesy fashion because really it means the world to have you._


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